Lycanthropy
by Windy Cid
Summary: After the events in their fifth year, Ron, Hermione and Harry have a new problem. Only this time, it's one of them that needs help.
1. Chapter One

**Lycanthropy   
  
Chapter 1 **

  
  
He had them cornered. His victims cowered in fear, huddled together against the wall that imprisoned them. Three of them… A boy, looking about ten years old, with his arms rapped protectively against two younger girls, possibly his sisters. He could sense, no, _taste_, their fear, and he loved it. The bloodlust, the hunger… He loved it all.   
  
_This isn't right…_   
  
He approached the children slowly, being the stalking creature that he was.   
  
_No! Stop!_   
  
They were so close… Only a few feet away.   
  
_Please… Stop…Don't hurt them._   
  
He fed off their fear; he could easily pick one of them off but the smaller girl seemed the best choice. He got down, into a striking position, and then he lunged and sunk his teeth deep into the neck of his victim, the young girl. The warm blood gushed into his mouth; the taste was, in his opinion, the best part. He could feel the life draining from the girl until…   
  
"NOOOOO! LET HER GO!"   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
Ron Weasley bolted straight up in bed, sweating and breathing hard. He looked down at his hands, which were trembling tremendously. He had had the exact same dream for months now, and each time, he could remember it with more and more clarity. Ron wiped the sweat from his brow and laid back down. Why these dreams plagued him he did not know. Maybe they were trying to say something? Or maybe trying to warn him? Ron sighed; they were probably just one of those nightmares that decided to linger around longer. After all, his nightmares were most likely the result of Voldemort returning.   
  
Ron thought back to last year, when Umbridge had the school under a bulky iron fist. He chuckled softly when he remembered Fred and George's little retaliation. _This year is bound to be better. Sixth year… _Ron yawned and rolled onto his side, closing his eyes and drifted into a much needed deep and peaceful sleep.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
Ron, Fred, and George all greeted Harry as they always did when he entered their house. It was getting near the end of summer and school was only three weeks away and despite Moody's "reasoning" with Vernon, Harry was more than happy to stay with the Weasley's. Hermione was going to meet them at Diagon alley in a week so in the mean time, it was just Harry and Ron, or as Fred and George put them, the guinea pigs.   
  
"So Harry, how were the Dursley's treating you?" Asked Ron as he and Harry carried their brooms outside.  
  
"I was fed and they ignored me, which was fine with me." Harry shrugged. Being ignored was probably the best thing that could happen to him at the Dursley's, considering that this time he was fed right.   
  
"So Harry… What do you reckon this year will be like? I mean with You-Kno… Voldemort… Back and all?"   
  
Harry focused on the ground in deep thought. "I… Don't know. But you know… I bet Hermione would have a good idea. She's read enough enough history books to know what the school is like when stuff like this happens."   
  
Ron laughed to quietly himself at that comment. He could picture Hermione lecturing him on what he shouldn't do because of things that had happend before in his mind.  
  
They both stayed out for hours, practicing their flying skills and catching a ball back and forth in the air. The sun was beginning to set when Harry began heading back to the The Burrow. Ron was going to follow about an hour later, wanting to get in a little more practice before dinner, that and Harry had offered to let him use the Firebolt, which, was an offer he could not pass up.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
The sun sank below the horizon and Ron finally landed with a soft thud on the ground. He swung the Firebolt over his shoulder and yawned, a days practice was very tiring. He grabbed the big leather ball they were tossing around and tucked it safely under one arm. Yawning, he began the way home, thinking about what kind of good foods would be for dinner. Ron stopped abruptly just as he made his way into the thin woods that surrounded the clearing he had been playing in. The hair on his neck stood on end as he scanned the area carefuly.  
  
"Eheheh… Must be my immagination." Ron assured himself, "I mean… I didn't even hear anything, right…?"   
  
He began to jog briskly but in his slight rush his foot got caught under in an uncovered tree root sending him flying face first into the dirt. When he hit the ground his arm was sliced open by a sharp rock that had its point sticking straight up into the air. The Firebolt rolled several yards away. Ron rolled onto his back, holding his wound only to see the tall dark inhuman figure standing above him. He saw its jaw open as its head rushed towards his head. He held his already injured arm in front of his face and felt the teeth sink into his upon wound. That's when he yelled, as long as the air in his lungs would let him. This made the creature release its grip on him and run off. After every inch of air he had was depleted Ron felt himself getting woozy, most likely from the blood loss. _This is a dream. _He told himself. _Nothing else… _He closed his eyes and slipt out of consciousness.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
_Ron… _   
  
_Ron…_   
  
"Ron! You okay? You awake?"  
  
"Fred! Leave him alone."  
  
"But mum, he isn't hurt that bad, he just got cut a lit-"  
  
"Enough! Out!"   
  
Ron groaned a bit. He looked to see his mother staring worridly at him.   
  
"Ron! You okay?" He looked over to see Harry also watching him.   
  
"I'm fine…"   
  
"What happened?" This time his mother was asking the question.  
  
"I was trying to hurry back and I fell and then a rock or something cut my arm open…" _The rest had to be a dream. It didn't happen._   
  
"Alright. Come to breakfast when you're ready. But no more Quidditch practice! I want you to not use that arm until it's completely healed!" And with her motherly instructions made clear, Mrs. Weasely left the room.   
  
"What a lame story. I never knew someone could get hurt so bad from just falling over." Fred said as he walked back into the room. "I never knew my ickle Ronny was such a clutz." He teased.   
  
"Yeah, yeah…" Ron sat up in bed and looked at the bandage on his arm. "Well at least on it's on my left arm." He swung his feet over the bed and stood up. "Well, I'm hungry. Let's go to breakfast."  
  
Harry and Fred both agreed and the three left for the kitchen.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
Ron watched Harry, Fred and George dart through the air on their brooms. Harry had at first been reluctant to leave his friend out of the fun but Ron had insisted that he go. Besides, Harry would probably have extra sympathy on the train when the snack cart rolled by. He grinned as he thought about all the chocolate frogs he was going to eat.   
  
After about an hour Ron began to think back to the events the night before. _Maybe it wasn't a dream? _He thought to himself. _No… If it wasn't a dream that would mean… Wait… What if it was just a normal big dog? Yeah… That's it, even it it wasn't a dream, it was just a big dog. _He nodded his head and agreed with himself, there no way something like… That could happen to him.  
  
"Hey Ron! We're heading in!" Harry's yell jolted Ron out of his deep thought. He looked over to see his brothers and friend waiting patiently for him. He got up and headed over.   
  
_A dream…_   
  


---------------------------------------------------

  
  
Righty-o then. That's the first chapter and I know… It's short though the next one will be bigger. But anyway, please review. Reviews are good. Flames are good too. Anyway, the next chapter should be up soon. 


	2. Chapter Two

**

Lycanthropy  
  
Chapter 2

**  
  
Harry flipped through his new books. As soon as Hermione came they would all head back to The Burrow until school began. He yawned boredly and looked around his Leaky Cauldron room.  
  
"Hi Harry!" He heard a familiar voice say. He looked up to see Hermione standing in the doorway.   
  
_Right on time._ Harry thought to himself. "Hey Hermione."  
  
"Say Harry… I have something to ask you." Hermione said as she took a seat next to where Harry was.   
  
"What?"  
  
"Have you noticed anything strange about Ron?" She asked  
  
Harry thought for minute then shook his head. "Nope." He shrugged. "Why? Did you?"  
  
"He looks a bit ill…"  
  
"Oh, he cut his arm pretty deep and lost quite a bit of blood. It's probably just that." Harry said bluntly.  
  
"How'd he manage that?"  
  
Harry told Hermione about Ron being late for dinner and how he and Fred had looking for him. They had found him laying unconscious on the ground near the forest clearing where they practiced Quidditch.   
  
"There's Ron for you… Going and knocking himself out." Hermione half joked.  
  
"Speaking of Ron, we should go to find him soon. Now that you're here, we'll probably be going back soon."  
  


;~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
Ron stared longingly at the brooms in the window. Firebolts, Nimbuses, what he would do to get one…   
  
"What's wrong Weasley? Trying to figure out if selling your house might give you enough money to buy one of those?" An all to familiar voice sneered. Ron spun around to see Draco Malfoy snickering at him.   
  
"Bugger off Malfoy."  
  
"So Weasel how's the pig? You know, your mother. I hea-" Malfoy was cut off as Ron's fist slammed into his face. He stumbled back, his eyes watering up from the pain in his nose. He could fill the blood running down his face and dripping off his chin. Rather than grabbing for his wand, he retaliated with a punch of his own. This time Ron felt the pain in his stomach as his slumped over. Malfoy didn't wait for Ron to get back up; he swung his leg back and kicked Ron as hard as he could in the face, sending the red-heed falling onto his back. A crowd was beginning to form around the two and not wanting his bloody face seen, Malfoy left. Ron picked himself up from the ground, and headed off towards the Leaky Cauldron, slouched over slightly and holding his stomach.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
Harry and Hermione's conversation about what the school would be like this year was interrupted as Ron and his mother burst into the room, with Fred tagging along. Mrs. Weasley both scolded and sympathesized her boy all the way in.   
  
"This is what you get for getting into a fight like that I hope you know! But honestly, to hit a man when he's down…"  
  
"What happened?!" Hermione demanded.   
  
"He got into a big fight with Malfoy! Me and George were going to open up our shop, George went ahead and I was going to try to get Ron to eat a Canary Cream when Malfoy popped up behind him." Fred explained. "I'm not sure what Malfoy said, I was a bit too far away when Ron gave him a bloody nose he'll never forget! But then Malfoy sucker punched him in the stomach and then kicked while he was down! The son-of-a-…"  
  
"That's enough Fred! Now… Go ask Tom if he has any rags or something." Fred obeyed and left. "Ron… How are you ever going to heal if you keep getting hurt?"  
  
"Sorry mum…" Ron murmured quietly.  
  
"Well at least you didn't tear open your arm again."   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  
Ron stared at the ceiling. The room was very dimly lit, it's only source of light being a candle that had burnt down to the point that it had almost no wick. He gingerly rubbed the right side of his face; Malfoy's kick was certainly more damaging than that punch of his. The fact that they were staying in the Leaky Cauldron an extra day wasn't helping either. After all, there was no place like home. He rolled over on his side and stared out the window. Outside would be pitch black if it weren't for the lights that were coming from the very few shops that were still open.   
  
His stomach churned at the sight of the crescent moon looming over the rooftops. Ron rolled over again so that his back faced the window. Stubbornly, he reminded himself that nothing of importance happened that night. Making a few mental notes that he would prove to himself that he was fine, Ron fell asleep.   
  


--------

  
  


Bleh… Yeah, I know, this chapter is VERY short. But I've been very busy over the past two weeks. Well, anyway, since things are starting to slow down, I can make the next chapter bigger. And sorry for the slow post. . And thanks to ze reviewers! Thank ya very much. 


End file.
